Web 2.0 Opportunity Learning

Technology for the people

"When the web started, we needed a web Master to guide and help end users. However today, everything has changed. Web 2.0 tools are second generation tool that empower users on the web to read and write to it. With Web 2.0 tools, you can publish your content without having to rely on others. It is user centered and enables inter-interoperability and Information sharing." These were the words of Mr. Nicholas Kimolo the key trainer in the Web 2.0 Learning Opportunity taking place in at Baraka Agricultural College. The training which forms Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA)'s initiatives that support development partners is intended for networking, accessing and disseminating information more effectively. The participants mainly Kenyan Nationals were drawn from a number of organisations ranging from Non-governmental Organizations(NGOs), private sector and government institutions.

Expectations were High....

Br. David Muchemi, the Principal of Baraka Agricultural College welcomed the participants aboard and briefed the participants on the objective of the college. As one of the Web 2.0 'students' he hoped that he would be able to effectively share information with fellow staff. Similar sentiments were echoed among the participants. They hoped that by the end of the one-week training, they would all go back to their respective organizations and use it to enhance their work. Edith Karimi representing the Institute for Culture and Ecology (ICE) was excited at the prospect of how to use the New Media such as Twitter and Facebook to reach out to the youth in the course of her work.

Who was there......

The participants

1. Jones Obiria(Kware Slum Youth Group, ICT Trainer)
2. Maryleen Muchemi(PELUM),
3. Esther Obadiah(BAC, Librarian)
4. Damas Ogwe (KenTel),
5. Edith Karimi (ICE, Communication),
6. Josephine Wareta (KBC, Producer,),
7. Thomas Maina (Tree is Life Trust, technical Coordinator),
8. Job Mainye (ALIN, Consultant),
9. Eddah Wasike(Librarian, ICIPE),
10. Stephen Mureithi (University of Nairobi),
11. Maureen Agena (Women of Uganda Network WOUGNET),
12. Simon Muchemi (ERMIS , ICT Officer),
13. John King’au (BAC, Deputy Principal),
14. Bro.David Muchemi (BAC, Principal),
15. Rachel Wangari (Asst. Librarian, Baraka),
16. Edmond Omungi (BAC, ICT Coordinator),
17. Monicah Nthiga(AMREF, ELearning),
18. Grace Agiri (Agricultural Information Resource Centre, Director),
19. Geoffrey Opile (Information Africa Organization, Programme Coordinator),
20. Peter Mwaura (),
21. Felicitas Ratanya (Egerton University, Research Assistant (E-resources)),
22. Jeniffer Githinji (BAC),
23. Francis Kamau(BAC),
24. Stanley Nderitu (Youth Governance and Environment Programme)

Trainers

Nicholas Kimolo (Lead Trainer)
Morris Mulinge (Assisting Trainer)

Web 2.0 tools

The trainer took the participants through the applications that they would learn about in their use of Web 2.0

• Web 2.0 concepts and principles
• Selective access to information using Advanced search techniques, Alerts and RSS feeds
• Remote collaboration using Wikis and Google docs
• VOIP using Skype
• Online Mapping using Google Maps
• Blogging and micro-blogging using blogger and Twitter respectively
• Social networking among professionals using LinkedIn and general public using Facebook
• Introduction to the use of iMARK Module Web 2.0 and Social Media for development

Related Links

Baraka in Google Maps

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development

Web2forDev

Contributors

1. Maureen Agena
2. Edith Karimi
3. Geoffrey Opile
4. Damas Ogwe